Egg breaking machine



EGG BREAKING MACHINE J. C. GILL EGG BREAKING MACHINE Filed July 10, 1952 Oct. 20, 1953 J. c. GLLL EGG BREAKING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 10, 1952 INVENTUR. Jie/scans C. Gin/:L

/W//f/J Oct. 20, 1953 Jf. G|L.| 2,655,965

' EGG BREAKING MACHINE 33 @anni l l im: Z5

34 J 5'5' @El Z6 I INVENTOR.

Iig. 6'. IA/mas' Ci 6m BY: v

AWOFFH Oct. 20, 1953 J. c. G|| 2,655,965

EGG BREAKING MACHINE Filed July'lo. 1952 5 sheets-sheet 5 I 12:7 y* BY" Mayra/5J.

Patented Oct. 20,` 1953 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE 12 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in egg breaking machines, and its primary object is to improve the overall operation of machines of the character indicated. To that end, I have modified several features of previously known machines for accomplish-ing the general function of egg breaking, and have added certain new features, all of such features cooperating, among themselves and with the unmodied parts of previously known machines to accomplish the intended objective of improving the speed and eiiiciency with which eggs, in quantity, can be broken for use, while minimizing losses, contamination of the finished productl and the like.

In egg breaking machines heretofore known, the actual fracturing and opening of an egg shell, to accomplish discharge of the meat to suitable separating and/or collecting devices, is preferably accomplished by a device of the character disclosed in Patent 2,314,741 issued to L. M. Sigler on March 23, 1943. It is essential to the optimum operation of such a device that the egg upon which the device is acting shall be, in the first instance, bodily held against any movement in the direction in which the opening device applies force to penetrate the shell; and shall be held against dislodgment, while the shell ends are left free to pivot away from a median transfer plane, while the opening device applies separating forces to those shell ends. Hold-down devices heretofore used in connection with the mechanism of the above-mentioned Sigler patent have been unsatisfactory in several respects; and an object of the present invention is to provide novel, means for accomplishing the above-stated functions.

In conventional machines of the character here under consideration, eggs are delivered successively to the machine and then, through the medium of indexing advancing means, the eggs are advanced, from the point of reception to the point at which the opening device acts. Some operational difficulties have been experienced with the known advancing devices; and a further object of the present invention is to improve such advancing mechanism.

In order that indexing advancing means of the character above-mentioned shall operate satisfactorily, it is essential to provide some sort of means whereby eggs, as they are delivered to the machine, will be properly oriented with respect to the advancing means; and a still further object of the present invention is to imautomatically acting hold-downv prove the orienting means heretofore used in connection with such machines.

Still further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change may be made in the specillc construction illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

Fig. 1 is a plan View, more or less diagrammatic, of an egg breaking machine embodyingthe improvements contemplated by the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a fragmental View, taken upon a plane parallel to the plane of Fig. 2, and showing the various parts of my improved mechanism at one stage in the cycle thereof;

Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are views similar to Fig. 3 but showing the parts in the positions which they assume in successive steps in the operative cycle f of the machine;

Fig. 8 is a fragmental section, taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Fig. 2, and drawn to an enlarged scale;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged elevation of the hold-down mechanism of the present invention; and

Fig. 10 is a section taken substantially on the line III-i0 of Fig. 9.

One conventional form of egg breaking machines, known prior to my invention, is disclosed in the patent to L. M. Sigler, No. 2,229,349 issued January 21J 1941. The driving mechanism of my invention selected for illustration herein is closely similar to that disclosed in the said Patent No. 2,229,349; and therefore the specific shapes of the various actuating cams have not been illusv trated, but instead, the operation of the cam actuating driving linkages will be described in detail, it being understood that those linkages are driven, in turn, in a manner closely corresponding to the disclosure of the said Patent No. 2,229,349.

In the drawings forming a part of the present disclosure, I have illustrated a machine comprising a main frame l l upon which is iixedly mounted egg-supporting means comprising a series of seats l2, equally spaced longitudinally of the machine. In these drawings, I have illustrated only one such series, though it is conventional to provide four or more series of such seats and their associated parts to be described. It will be understood, then, that the mechanism to be described herein may be repeated, in a commercial machine coming within the scope of the present invention, any reasonable number of times, the several duplicate mechanisms being arranged in side-by-side relation, transversely of the frame H. Only one such mechanism is illustrated and described, in order to avoid complication of the present disclosure.

Orienting means, indicated generally by the reference numeral I3, is arranged at the entrance of the machine; and egg-opening means, indicated generally by the reference numeral I4, is arranged at the exit end of the machine. Eggs are delivered serially to the orienting means I3 by an endless-traveling-bar type conveyor I5.

The orienting means includes, for each of the mechanisms to be described herein, a pair of diabolo or hour-glass shaped rolls I6 arranged on spaced, parallel axes extending in the direction of the indexing means, later to be described. As

is clearly to be seen in Fig. 1, eggs are carried on the conveyor I with their long axes substantially transverse to the direction of travel. Means (not shown) is provided for spinning the rolls I8 in the manner fully described in my prior Patent 2,598,905 issued June 3, 1952, so that, when an egg is deposited upon the roll pair, the action of the rolls tends to turn the egg into a position in which its long axis is arranged in the direction of egg travel. While the device, as thus far described, works reasonably well to align the eggs in the desired position of orientation, I have found that occasionally an unusually large egg, and sometimes an unusually small egg, will fail to attain proper orientation before the indexing rack engages the egg to lift it from the rolls IE, with the result that such an egg may be dropped by the rack; therefore I have provided additional means, later to be described, to insure accurate orientation of each egg as it is lifted from the rolls I5, and maintenance of that orientation as the egg is deposited in the first of the seats I2.

A mechanism-supporting carriage is indicated at I'I and is supported, for reciprocation in the direction of egg movement, by rollers IS bearing upon trackways I8 xedly supported on the frame I I. A block 20 (Fig. 4), formed to provide a longitudinally extending trackway 2I, slidably supports a plate 22 which, in turn, supports a rack 23 formed with a series of seats 24, said seats being spaced apart, in the direction of egg movement, by a distance equal to the distance between seats I2. Fig. 8 illustrates the fact that the rack 23 comprises transversely spaced bars in which are formed the seats 24, whereby the rack is capable of picking up and supporting eggs arranged on the seats I2.

The block 20 is, in turn, mounted for slidable reciprocation upon a platform 25 which, in its turn, is carried vby a post 26 guided for substantially vertical reciprocation in the 'frame I I (Fig. 2). A link 2'I provides a driving connection to said post 26 from a lever arm 28 mounted for oscillation about the axis of a trunnion member 29 transversely arranged in the frame II; and suitable cam means will control oscillation of said lever and consequent reciprocation of the post 25 in the manner hereinafter to be described.

An upstanding boss 30 (Fig. 4) on the block 20 xedly supports a column 3I which is vertically slidably received in a socket 32 formed in the carriage II. A pin 33 fixed with respect to the block 20, and a pin 34 xed with respect to the plate 22 constitute anchorages for opposite ends of a coiled spring 35 which tends resiliently to urge the plate 22 toward the left (as viewed in Fig. 4) with respect to the block 29. Said plate 22 is formed with a notch or socket 36 (Figs. 1, 3 and 6) in which is received, at times, the lower end of a finger 3l carried by the carriage II, for a reason which will appear.

Pivotally connected to the block 2l! at 38 (Figs. 4 and 5) is ya link 39 connected, at its opposite end, to a lever 40 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) mounted for oscillation about the axis of a trunnion element 4I substantially parallel to the trunnion element 29, said lever being oscillated, by suitable cam means, to reciprocate the block 20 in the manner hereinafter to be described.

A pair of supports 42, 42 (Figs. 1 and 2) mount two trunnion elements 43 and 44 upon substantially parallel, vertically spaced axes, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 2, 9 and 10. A presser element 45 `comprises a plate, strap or slide, having a foot or toe 46 turned substantially at right angles to the body of the plate. The plate 45 is vertically slotted and in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the slotting of the member 45 includes an upper slot 4'! and a lower slot 48, said slots being dimensioned, respectively, to pass the trunnion elements 43 and 44, whereby the presser mem-ber is supported and guided for vertical reciprocation relative to said trunnion elements. A ringer 43 adjacent the upper end of member 45 projects toward the receiving end of the machine for a reason which will later appear.

An abutment member 5.0 is mounted on the trunnion element 43 and is held against axial movement relative to said trunnion element by a snap ring 5I and/or a set screw 52. A similar abutment member 53 is mounted on the trunnion element 44 and is held against axial movement with respect thereto by a snap ring 54 and/or a vset screw 55, elements '59 and 53 presenting, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, forwardly facing surfaces disposed in a common vertical plane perpendicular to the axes of the trunnion elements 43 and 4. A spacer element 56, formed Vwith a hub portion 51, is mounted on the trunnion element 43 and is formed to provide a surface frictionally engageable with the forward face o-f the presser member 45. The hub 5l enters the slot 47; but its axial length is less than the thickness of the member 45 so that, when a force is applied to the member 56, in the direction of the abutment member 50, the presser member 45 will be clamped between the spacer 56 and the abutment member 5I), and thus will be held against movement relative to the trunnion element 43.

A simple, discoid spacer member 58 is sleeved on the trunion element 44 for frictional engagement with the forward face of the presser member 45 so that, when force is applied to the element 58 in the direction of the abutment member 53, the presser member 45 will be similarly braked thereby against movement relative to the trunnion element 44.

A second presser element 59 is formed with slots E@ and 5I similar to the slots 4l and 48 of the presser member 45, Iand said member 59 is formed with a forwardly projecting toe 62 which, as is most clearly illustrated in Fig. 9, is located on the righthand side of the toe 46 and is slightly tilted from the horizontal. A nger 63 (Figs. 3, 4 and 9) is located adjacent the upper end of the member 53 and projects toward the entrance end of the machine for a purpose which will appear hereinafter.

A spacer member 64 is sleeved on the trunnion element 43 and is formed with a hub portion 55 which enters and penetrates the slot 50, the axial length of said hub portion 55 exceeding the thickness of the presser member 59'. A simple, disooid spacer member 56 is sleeved on the trunnion element 44 for frictional engagement with the forward face of the presser member 59. It will be apparent, from an examination of Fig. 10, that, while force applied to the spacer member 55 in the direction of the abutment member 53 will result in the application of a braking force to the presser members 59 and pressure applied to the spacer 54 in a corresponding direction will result in the application of a braking force to the member 45, only, leaving the member 59 free to move with respect to the trunnion element 43.

A third presser member 5l is provided with a forwardly projecting toe 58 and is formed with slots 69 and i9 similar to the slots 69 and 5I. As is most clearly shown in Fig. 9, the toe 68 is disposed to the left of the toe 45, and is inclined from the horizontal in a direction opposite the direction of inclination of the toe 92. The member 5l is supported and guided by the trunnion elements 45 and 44 in a manner similar to that in which the member 59 is so supported and guided. A spacer member l2 is sleeved on the trunnion element 43 yand has an axially projecting hub portion i3 which penetrates the slot 59 and which has an axial dimension greater than the thickness of the member S'I. A simple spacer member 'I4 is sleeved on the trunnion element 44 and is adapted to bear against the forward face of the member 6l.

A hub piece l5 is mounted on the trunnion element 43 and is held against movement away from the abutment member 59 by a snap ring l5 and/or a set screw "il, said hub piece being formed with an externally threaded section 'i8 upon which is threadedly mounted a nut 'I9 formed with sprocket teeth 59. In the illustrated embodiment of my invention, a washer or shim SI is interposed between the rearward face of the nut i9 and the forward face of the spacer element l2. It will be seen that rotation of the nut 'i9 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 9 will exert a force upon the spacer 'I2 tending to move said spacer toward the abutment member 5G. It will likewise be seen that, because of the dimensions of the hub portions i3 :and 55, that force will be transmitted to the spacer member 5G, without exerting any clamping eiect upon the members 51 `and 59, but that the element 45 will thereby be clamped between the spacer 5B and the abutment 55 to brake the presser element 45 against movement relative to the trunnion member 43.

Similarly, a hub piece 32 is mounted on the trunnion element 44 and is held against movement away from the abutment member 53 by a snap ring e3 and/or a set screw 84. The hub piece 52 is formed with an externally threaded portion 85 upon which is threadedly mounted a nut 56; and, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, a washer or shim 8l is interposed between the rearward face of the nut 85 and the forward face of the spacer l. The nut 85 is provided with sprocket teeth 58; and it will be seen that, when the nut 85 is turned in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig'. 9, it will exert upon said shim 8l a force tending to move said shim toward the abutment member 53. That force will be transmitted, through the spacers 14, 65 and 5S, and through the presser members 5l and 59, to the presser member 45, whereby all three presser members will be braked against movement relative to the trunnion element 44.

The above-described assembly of presser elements and braking means therefor is mounted at the rearward end of the carriage Il. Near the forward end thereof, Ia pair of upstanding supports 0r standards 89 provide journal mountings for a pair of shafts 99 and 9| arranged with their axes substantially horizontal in :a common vertical plane. A sprocket 92 is xed t0 the shaft 9%, and an endless chain 93 is trained around the sprockets 92 and 89. According to the preferred embodiment of my invention, a coiled spring 94 is incorporated in that end of the chain 93 which is placed in tension by rotary movement of the sprocket 92 in a direction such as to produce movement of the nut I9 toward the abutment member 50. Similarly, a sprocket 95 is xed to the shaft 9| and an endless chain 95 is trained around the sprockets 95 and 88, a coiled spring 97 being incorporated in that run of the chain 95 which is placed in tension upon rotary movement of the sprocket 95 in a direction such as to produce movement or the nut toward the abutment member 53.

An arm 98 (Figs. l and 2) is fixed to the shaft 59 and a link 99 connects the arm 98 to be oscillated in response to movement of a lever I9@ mounted for oscillation about the axis of the member 4I, and suitably driven by cam means (not shown). A finger E92 (Figs. 2 and 3) is likewise fixed to the shaft 99, and is adapted, at times, to engage a pin |95 fixed to the rearwardly extending arm of a lever 94 loosely mounted for oscillation about the axis of the shaft 99. Said l-ast-mentioned lever arm carries, at its distal end, a pin I95 cooperable, at times, with the finger 49 on the presser member 45 (Figs. 2 and 3).

An arm IBB is xed to the shaft 9| and a link I'i connects said arm with a lever ISI (Fig. l) similar in function and mounting to the lever i9@ and actuated by a cam (not shown) to swing the arm |65 in accordance with the cycle to be described. A finger Hi8 is likewise secured to the shaft 9| and is engageable, at times, with a pin H39 on the rearwardly projecting arm of a lever "II, loosely mounted for oscillation about the axis of the shaft 5 I, and carrying a pin I II! engageable with the linger 53 of the presser member 59 and the corresponding nger of the presser member 6l.

A shaft II I. mounted upon an axis parallel with the axes of the shafts and 9|, loosely supports a bellcrank lever H2 having one arm IIS (Fig. 3) projecting generally upwardly and carrying a yoke I I4 (Figs. 3 and 8) upon its forwardly projecting arm H5. The lever H2 is disposed in registry with the line of movement of eggs through the machine; and the length and proportions of the arm II5 are such that, when the carriage Il is in its rearmost position (Fig. 3), the yoke II4 will register with the forwardmost of the seats I2; and when the carriage Il is in its forwardmost position (Figs. 6 and 7), the yoke II4 will register with the device I3.

Fixed to the shaft III is a second bellcrank lever having arms III and II9 (Fig. 3); and an arm II'I, having a nger IIB, is likewise xed to said shaft. The parts just described are so proportioned and designed that the finger IIS normally engages the forward face of the arm II3 whereby, because of the long projection of the arm H5, the whole assembly is gravity-urged to move in a counter-clockwise direction. An

atrasos arm 129 is fixed to the shait 90 and carries fa pin for vrelier lZl which, .at timesengages the forwardly facing surface of the vlever arm Ilrl to swing the above-mentioned assembly in a clockwise direction Fig. illustrates the ;posi tions :of .the 'parts when arm |2f0 .has been so actuated. Fig. .3 illustrates the positions .fof the parts when the roller i12! has :released "the lever arm lfl'. In this ifposition, :lever arm I|-9 bearsagainst the shaft .9| :terza collar :not shown) to limit vdescent of the yoke l1-4. lt will be seen, however, v'that no Apositive force can Abe exerted, in assembly, tending 'to move the arm .H5 downwardly. Consequently, when the yoke I-ti encounters .an .large regg, itis free to rest thereon in la position abo-ye that illustrated in 3, and will .not exert a force upon Atlfie egg :in .excess of that resulting V:from 'the effect of gravity upon the farm 171:5..

At .the extreme forward end Aof the machine, a pairof :standards l -2-2 support therebetween two trunnicn :elements ..124 and 12:3. A Vlever -zl23 pivot-ally .mounted :upon `the element :|24 :and carries, at its distal yend, 1a :counterweight ft2-5 which rests and .is supported :upon the Yforwardly projecting arm 126 of the lever .4104. Similarly, sa lever ,|21 .is `4pivota-lly mounted the element |2=3 :and carries at its `distal end a ycounterweight i220 which rests and is supported upon the forwardly proiectmg arm of the .lever 11|.

.Qpemtion Fig. "'5 shows the parts in the lrelative positions which they `will have assumed at the completion of `the Yolzzcration of Aopening "an egg. The-arm 40 is 4now lactuated Vto move vin a counterclockw-ise direction 4to retract the "block "20 to which vit is connected through the link '99. 'The 'post 2B is currently at the bottom of fits stroke, the carriage Fi 'is supported upon 'rails t8, and lthe VAplate 22 with its supported rack is in its orwardmost position. As the block :20 Amoves *from the position of Fig. to the positionof Fig-6, 'the levers tHM and '-l, with their fu-1era, will be moved ftoward 'thesuppor'ts l-22, whereby the effect of-the counterweig-hts i255 and l2-9 upon those levers will be very substantially reduced. At this iinstant, of fcourse, the levers vare being held iin the illustrated 'positions positively fby the "fingers 102 and 108.

Now, the 299 Vvand illUl'i are 'pulled hdownwardly to rotate the sprockets 92 and 05 r`and the shafts -90 Eand lli! in :a clockwise direction, thereby withdrawing .support of the In-gers M12 and w8 from the levers 'tot and 1l. 'Because the counterweghts .i225 and 'L29 are -so close to `the axes `of fthe shafts 90 .and Si as fno'tlto .overhalance the effect :of `gravi-ty upon 'the presser mem-- bers ii-5, 59 and those members :will gently descend, 'moving vfreely with respect to :the :elements t3 and 1li 'because the nuts TIB and 3 :are not inow .exerting clamping iorces upon the presser elements.

.At the same time, clockwise movement of the shaft :f90 shifts the 12o .insa .clockwise :direction to release the Ilever .arm irla to :move -.a coimter-lockwise direction under the effect of gravity upon the lever 'arm H55.; :and the yoke dit willfsettle upon the egg which currently .fis resting upon :the V:rotating rolls llt. If ithat egg is not accurately oriented, .the effect .of "the stradd-ling `arms of the yoke H4 will .fbe to the rotating egg :into proper alignment.

Concurrently, the post .-26 fis :moved upwardly to the limitof its path of -recprocatiom carrying with Vit the platform .2;5.. block 20., van-d Vthe rack .123. The 4rack 2.3 :moves upwardly between and past the rolls 1.6 and 'the :elements of .the seats i2, picking up the eggs from the rolls and the seats 1.2 .and shifting them into the position illustratediniig. 7. The pressers settle intoflrm engagement with that egg which is carried `on the :rearmost seat Aof the .rack 23.; and, 'at the same time, continued rotation -of :the sprockets Q2 and 9.5 -seatsthe nuts 19 Vand y85 solidly against their brake assemblies to secure the three presser members `against ,further movement relative to their :supporting trunnion elements. It will :be seen that the toe 146 engages the upper .surface of the egg substantially in :the .median plane -of the segg transverse .to the .long axis thereof, while the toes S2 and .58 engage the upper surface of the egg 0n opposite sides fof that pla-ne. As .the post 26 .moves upwardly :from .the position :of Eig. 6 toward the posi-tion :of Fig. 7 the :finger 3l enters the not-ch .-36 inthe plate 2 2., then the stud ,30 eng-ages the `.depending portion of the carriage 4J, and :further ,movement of the ypost lifts the :carriage -Il 'off .the track L8.

New, .the .lever :4.0 is Ymoved .in .a :clockwise direction toshitt the :block 20 .toward thetright.; and because .of the engagement-.of the ylinger 3?! in Athe .notch .3.5, the plate 22 is carried with the block. .T-hus, the rack .2 351s indexed .rearwardly to carry the egg which was lizvrevously supported on the roll I6 .into .registry with the rst of .the seats 12;; and, as the ypost 2.6 descends .to the intermediate position of Figs. .2 .and 3,'al1of the eggs except .the rearmost one will be ltra-nseferred from the rack 23 to the seats A2 .leaving the device .t3 .open to receive .another .egg from .the conyeyor l5. Thecarriage AJ, of course, descends with .the rack 2-3 and, Aas the .carriage -settles upon-therails IIB, the egg-opening device .M comes into .cooperative .relation with .the egg at the rearmostend @of .the rack,.all.as shown Fig. .3. It will .be -noted that, at -that time, .the sprockets 92 .and 9.5 .have been turned to such .an extent as to .set the .brake .mechanisms .associated with the sprockets Aand .8.8, extending the .springs 94 and E] Aand slackening the upper rims of the chains '9.3 .and '913. ,At this time, the device ld .is actuated to penetrate the egg shell at -points Vin the lower surface of the egg .substantially in the above-mentioned plane thereof.

Now, vthe ,post .2B settles farther., to vthe position of Eig. d, whereby fthe engagement between the .linger 1311 .and 'the notch .3B Lis destroyed, since the carriage .l1 is supported upon the rails 1'8, and the .spring V35 .acts to sh'ft the plate 22 and its rack 2.3 toward the .forward .end of the machine lin readiness to lift the ,series of eggs for a further index cycle. At the same time, the opening .device .I4 .is actuated to exert ,opposite separating .forces upon .the lower ,edges of .the two ends .of .the egg. To facilitate this operation, the presser toe 46 must '.be 'held firmly in vengagement with -the .upper portion Iof the egg, .in 'the median plane; .but the presser toes 'E2 and B8 must ,be withdrawn to permit .-hinging .movement ofthe two .portions of theshell. This is accomplished by actuation of the .link 10'! to turn the shaft Y91| .in a counter-clockwise direction.

As .the arm IE6 begins .to turn, thefrst effect, of course, is to relax the .spring .91 and .tighten .the upper run of the chain 95. This is accomplished in .a few .degrees of movement of the sprocket 5, and thereafter ,further rotation .of the .sprocket .-95 v'backs the nut .t .away .from the abutment member .53, thus .releasing the braking effect of the assembly on the element Cit, upon the three presser members. In this operation, of course, the nut 'I9 is not aifected; and therefore the braking eiect of the assembly on the element d3, upon the presser member d5, is not lost. Thus, the toe it is held in firm engagement with the associated egg. .es the braking eifect of the assembly on the element lli is completely released, the finger 68 comes into engagement with the pin H39 on the lever il; and further turning movement of the shaft Sli is acm companied by counter-clockwise movement of the shaft 1| whose pin llt acts upon the finger 63' to lift the presser members 5S and @l to the positions illustrated in Fig. 4.

As the opening action of the device lil is completed, the lever l will be moved a counterclockwise direction by withdrawal of its cam actuator permitting thc counterweight it! to move the lever. Thus, the arm Q8 will be turned in a counter-clockwise direction to release the brake assembly on the element 53, then to move the arm M32 into engagement with the pin its, and so to swing the lever its in a counterclockwise direction, whereby the pin ist will lift the presser member d5. It is to be noted that, during this period, the counterweights E25 and 29 have a maximum effect upon the arms l2@ and 53@ of the levers IM and ll.

During the final portion of counter-clockwise rotation of the shaft 9', the roller I2| on the arm 42) engages the forward face of the lever arm H6 to move the shaft lll in a clockwise direction, whereby the pin i i8 on the finger ill engages the arm H3 of the lever H2 to lift the arm H5 thereof, disengaging the yoke Hs from the egg.

Now, the lever 4i! is actuated to shift the block 2c to its forwardmost position, bringing the iinger 3'. into registry with the notch s6. rlhen, platform 25, moves upwardly to engage iinger 3? in notch 35; and at the same time the arms 98 and lilo begin to move in a clockwise direction. Forward movement of the carriage il' reduces the depressing effect of the counterweights E25 and 129 on the arms 25 and ist, and the levers 991i and 'H begin to turn in a clockwise direction. The device ifi discards the shell of the egg just opened; and, as the sprockets 52 and Q5 continue to rotate in a clockwise direction, the parts move into the positions of Fig. 7, thus starting a new cycle.

l claim as my invention:

l. In an egg breaking machine, for suprporting an egg to be broken, means for peneu trating the shell. or such an egg substantially in the median plane transverse to the longitudinal of the egg and for exerting opposite, separating forces upon shell at points of penetration, means for holding such an egg against bodily movement during operation of such shell-penetrating and force-exerting means, comprising a rst presser means movable into out of engagement with such an egg substantially in said median plane substantially iametrically opposite such points oi penetraa second presser means movable into and out of engagement with such an at points oppositely spaced from said plane and on the side of said anis opposite said points of penetration, brale means cooperable nl i said first presser means to hold the same, at times, in engagement with an egg, lifter cooperatively with said f rst presser means to shift the same, at times, out of such engagement, operm ating means for said brake means and said lifter means and connected to release said brake means before shifting said rst presser means out oi' such engagement and to set said brake means after depositing said first presser means in such engagement and releasing the same, other brake means cooperable with said second presser means to hold the same, at times, in engage nent with an egg, other lifter means cooperatively associated with said second presser means to shift the same, at times, out of such engagement, and other operatingmeans for said other braise means and said other lifter means and connected to release other brake means before shifting said second prMser means out of such engagement and to set said other brake means after depositing said` second presser means in such engagement and releasing the same. v

2. In a device of class described, a first slide mounted for substantially vertical reciprocation, a second slide mounted adjacent said nrst slide for substantially vertical reciprocation, guide means operatively associated with said slides to guide and limit reciprocation thereof, a rst lifter means having a lost-motion driving connection with said first slide to shift the same upwardly, a first brake means carried by said guide means and cooperable with said first slide, when set, to hold said rst slide against upward movement, operating means for said rst brake means and for said first lifter means eifective, upon actuation in one direction, to release said rst brake means and thereafter to lift said iirst slide, and, upon actuation in the opposite direction, to disengage saidfi'lrst lifter means from said first slide and thereafter to set said first brake means, a second lifter means having a lost-motion driving connection with said second slide to shift the same upwardly, a second brake means carried by said guide means and cooper* able with said second slide, when set, to hold said second slide against upward movement, and operating means for said second brake means and for said second lifter means effective, upon actuation in one direction, to release said second brake means and thereafter to lift said second slide, and upon actuation in the opposite direction, to disengage said second lifter means from said second slide and thereafter to set said second brake means.

3. In combination, a pair of trunnion elements mounted upon spaced, substantially horizontal axes in a common, substantially vertical plane, a first slide slotted to pass said trunnion elements and guidingly mounted thereon for substantially vertical reciprocation with respect thereto, a second slide slotted to pass said trunnion elements and guidingly Amount-ed thereon for Substantially verticalr reciprocation with resp-ect thereto, abutment means axially fixed relative to said trunnion elements and coactive with said rst slide to limit movement thereof relative to said trunnion elements in one direction axially of sad'trunnion elements, spacer means on one of said trunnion elements', axially movable relative to such -element and frictionally engageable with that face of saidfirst slide remote from said abutment means, additional spacer means on said one trunnion element, axially movable with respect to such element, penetrating'said second slide and engageable with said first-named spacer means, the axial length of said additional spacer means being greater than the corresponding dimension of said second slide whereby said additional spacer means prevents frictional engagement of said second slide, and means mounted on said one trunnion element for axial adjustment relative thereto to shift said spacer means positively axially toward 'said abutment means.

4. The combination of claim 3 in which said axially-adjustable means comprises a nut threadedly supported on said one trunnion element, said combination further including a rotor mounted on an axis parallel with the axis of said one trunnion element, and endless strand means providing a driving connection between said rotor and said nut.

5. The combination of claim 4 in which a portion of said strand is longitudinally elastic.

6. The combination of claim 4 in which a coiled spring constitutes a portion of that run of said endless strand means which is under tensile stress as said rotor is driven in a direction to cause said nut to move toward said abutment means.

7. In an egg-breaking machine, support means, a carriage mounted to move toward and away from said support means, egg hold-down means comprising a slide mounted on said carriage for substantially vertical reciprocation relative thereto, a lever pivotally mounted on said carriage and cooperable, at times, with said slide to lift the latter, and a countervveight supported from said support means and bearing upon said lever whereby the eiect of said counterweight on said lever is varied as said carriage moves toward and away from said support means.

8. In an egg-breaking machine, support means, a carriage mounted to move toward and away from said support means, egg hold-down means comprising a slide mounted on said carriage for substantially vertical reciprocation relative thereto, a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said carriage at a point between said slide and said support means, said lever having a iirst arm projecting toward said slide and ccoperable, at times, with said slide to lift the latter, said lever having a second arm projecting toward said support means, a second 'lever pivotally mounted on said support means and projecting toward said carriage, and a counterweight carried by said second lever and bearing on said second arm of said rst lever, the point of engagement of said counterweight on said second arm of said rst lever moving toward and' away from the fulcrum of said first lever as said carriage moves toward and away from said support means.

9. l'n an egg-handling machine, egg-aligning means comprising a pair of diabolo-shaped rolls mounted in closelyadjacent relation upon parallel, substantially horizontal axes to receive an egg, means for driving said rolls, a carriage mounted to reciprocate on a line parallel with the axes of said rolls, a rack supported from said carriage but movable relative thereto, said rack being provided with a portion adapted to move upwardly between said rolls to pick up an egg supported on said rolls, a lever mounted on a fixed pivot on said carriage and projecting toward said rolls, a yoke carried at the distalv end ofsaid lever and adapted, at times, tostraddle an egg supported on said rolls, means on said carriage and having a one-way, lost-motion lifting connection with said lever, means for driving said carriage toward and away from said rolls,

1'2 and operating means for saidlever-lifting means coordinated with said carriage-driving means, to release said lever when said yoke is in registry with an egg on said rolls and to drop said yoke into such straddling relation.

10. In an egg handling machine, means for supporting an egg to be broken, means for penetrating the shell of such an egg substantially in the median plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the egg and for exerting opposite, separating forces upon said shell at the points of penetration, and means for holding suoli an egg against bodily movement during operation of such shell-penetrating and force-exerting means, comprising a iirst presser means supported for substantially vertical reciprocation and biased to move downwardly into engagement with an egg on said supporting means substantially in said median plane and substantially diametrically opposite such points of penetration, a second presser means supported for substantially vertical reciproca-tion and biased to move downwardly into engagement with such an egg at points oppositely spaced from said plane and on the side of said axis opposite said points of penetration, brake means cooperative only with said first presser means to hold the same, at times, in selected position, other brake means cooperative with said second presser means to hold the same, at times, in selected position, independent lifter means for said respective presser means, each having a lost-motion, one-Way driving connection with its presser means, and independent actuating means for said brake-means and lifter means, each actuating means acting, when moved* in one direction, to release its associated brake means and thereafter shift its associated lifter means to lift its respective presser' means and, when moved in the opposite direction, to release its associated presser means to move downwardly under its bias and thereafter to set its associated brake means.

11. The machine of claim l0 in which each lifterV means comprises a leverloosely mounted to turn about. a fixed axis and having a portion engageable, at times, with its associated presser means, Va rotor mounted toturn about said axis, means connecting said rotor'to actuate lthe asso-V ciated brake means, an element moving with said rotor, and means on said lever disposed in the path of said element and engageable by said ele-l ment, after a predetermined degree of movement of said rotor in a brake-releasing direction, to shift said lever in a presser-lifting direction.

12. 'Ine machine of claim 10 in which each lifter means comprises a lever loosely mounted on a shaft and having a portion engageable, at times, with its associated presser means, a rotor fixed to said shaft, means connecting said rotor to actuate the associated barke means, an arm fixed to said shaft, means for swinging said arm to turn said shaft, a nger fixed to said shaft, and abutment means on said lever dis-posed in the path of said finger and engageable by said finger, after a predetermined degree of movement of said rotor in a brake-releasing direction, to shift said lever in a presser lifting direction JAMES C. GILL.

No references cited. 

